Bracket for mounting light-emitting member to plate

ABSTRACT

A bracket for mounting a light-emitting member to a computer enclosure, includes a first holding member and a second holding member connecting with the first holding member by a connecting arm which is capable of being folded to cause the first holding member to overlap and detachably engage with the second holding member to hold the light-emitting member there between. Each of the first and second holding members forms a pair of hooks configured for engaging with the computer enclosure.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/733,773, filed on Apr. 11, 2007, titled “COMPUTER ENCLOSURE WITH LIGHT-EMITTING MEMBER BRACKET”.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to computer enclosures, and more particularly to a computer enclosure with a mounting structure for light-emitting member.

2. Description of Related Art

A light-emitting member, such as a light-emitting diode (LED), is typically used to indicate a working state of a computer. In order to protect the light-emitting member, a conventional mounting bracket is usually provided. The conventional mounting bracket defines a hole therein for the light-emitting member being inserted thereinto. However, because the light-emitting member is small, it is very inconvenient to insert the light-emitting member into the hole defined in the conventional mounting bracket. Furthermore, the light-emitting member often becomes loose because of vibrations generated by use of the computer. Thus, the light-emitting member is not sufficiently protected by the conventional mounting bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a chassis, a bracket, and a light-emitting member in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is another isometric view of the bracket of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an assembled view of the bracket and the light-emitting member of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

Referring to FIG. 1, a computer enclosure includes a chassis 20 and a bracket 100, configured for securing a light-emitting member 50 on the chassis 20. The chassis 20 includes a front plate 21. Four mounting holes 23 are defined in the front plate 21.

Referring also to FIG. 2, the bracket 100 includes a first holding member 10 and a second holding member 30, integrally formed with the first holding member 10. Each of the first and second holding members 10, 30 includes a pair of side walls 12, 32, and a bottom wall 13, 33 perpendicular to the side walls 12, 32. Each of the side walls 12, 32 has a first hook 122, 322 extending therefrom. Each first hook 122, 322 forms a locking portion 124, 324 at a free end thereof. Two adjacent side walls 12, 32 of the first and second holding members 10, 30 are connected with each other by two connecting arms 40, and the other side walls 12, 32 have support walls 126, 326 perpendicularly extending out from top edges thereof. Each of the connecting arms 40 defines a V-shaped cutout 42 in a middle portion thereof, so that the connecting arm 40 is capable of being folded and thereby the second holding member 30 is capable of being rotated relative to the first holding member 10. The support wall 126 of the first holding member 10 defines two locking holes 128 therein. The support wall 326 of the second holding member 30 has two second hooks 328 perpendicularly extending thereon, corresponding to the locking holes 128 of the support wall 126 of the first holding member 10. Each of the second hooks 328 forms a locking portion 329, such as a barb, at a free end thereof. Two parallel flanges 132, 332 perpendicularly extend from outside surfaces of the bottom walls 13, 33. The parallel flanges 132, 332 are parallel to the side walls 12, 32 of the bracket 100. Each of the first and second holding members 10, 30 forms a receiving portion 14, 34 among the side walls 12, 32 and the bottom wall 13, 33. Each of the receiving portions 14, 34 defines a first slot 142, 342 in a front end portion thereof, a second slot 144, 344 in a middle portion thereof, and a third slot 146, 346 in a rear end portion thereof. Each of the second slots 144, 344 is half cylindrical shape. Each of the third slots 146, 346 is semi-circular shape and has a radius greater than that of the second slot 144, 344. The first slots 142, 342 and the third slots 146, 346 are arranged at opposite sides of the respective second slots 144, 344 and communicate the respective second slots 144, 344.

Referring to FIG. 1, the light-emitting member 50 may be an LED including a cylindrical light-emitting portion 51 and an annular base portion 53 formed at one end of the light-emitting portion 51, respectively corresponding to the second slot 144, 344 and the third slot 146, 346 of the bracket 100. The base portion 53 has a greater diameter than the light-emitting portion 51, and two terminals extending therefrom to electrically connect with a power supply (not shown).

Referring also to FIG. 3, in assembly, the light-emitting portion 51 and the base portion 53 of the light-emitting member 50 are respectively placed into the second slot 144 and the third slot 146 of the first holding member 10. The second holding member 30 is rotated relative to the first holding member 10 until the locking portions 329 of the second holding member 30 insert into and lock into the locking holes 128 of the first holding member 10. The connecting arms 40 are folded. The second slot 344 and the third slot 346 of the second holding member 30 respectively receive the other half of the light-emitting portion 51 and the base portion 53 of the light-emitting member 50. The light-emitting member 50 is thus sandwiched between the receiving portions 14, 34 of the first and second holding members 10, 30. Then, the bracket 100 together with the light-emitting member 50 is secured on the front plate 21 when the first hooks 122, 322 of the bracket 100 are inserted into and locked into the corresponding mounting holes 23 of the front plate 21.

In one embodiment, the first slots 142, 342 of the first and second holding members 10, 30 are used to guide light emitted by the light-emitting member 50.

In one embodiment, the light-emitting member 50 is received into the second slots 144, 344. The third slots 146, 346 of the bracket 100 after the second hooks 328 of the second holding member 30 are locked into the corresponding locking holes 128 of the first holding member 10. The light-emitting member 50 is securely sandwiched between the first and second holding members 10, 30 of the bracket 100. The diameter of the base portion 53 is greater than that of the light-emitting portion 51 of the light-emitting member 50. The third slots 146, 346 have radiuses greater than that of the second slots 144, 344 of the bracket 100. The light-emitting member 50 can not slide out from the second slots 144, 344 and the third slots 146, 346 of the first and second holding members 10, 30. Therefore, the light-emitting member 50 cannot become loose by vibration of the chassis 20.

In one embodiment, the cutouts 42 of the connecting arms 40 may also be U-shaped or shaped for conveniently folding the connecting arms.

While the present disclosure has been illustrated by the description of the embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such details. Additional advantages and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described. 

1. A bracket for mounting a light-emitting member to a plate, comprising: a first holding member; and a second holding member connected to the first holding member via a connecting arm; wherein the connecting arm is capable of being folded to cause the first holding member to overlap and detachably engage from the second holding member to sandwich the light-emitting member therebetween.
 2. The bracket as described in claim 1, wherein a cutout is defined in the connecting arm and the second holding member is rotatable about the cutout.
 3. The bracket as described in claim 2, wherein the cutout is shaped for folding the connecting arm.
 4. The bracket as described in claim 2, wherein the cutout of the connecting arm is V-shaped.
 5. The bracket as described in claim 2, wherein the cutout of the connecting arm is U-shaped.
 6. The bracket as described in claim 1, wherein the first holding member defines a locking hole therein, and the second holding member has a hook thereon for being securely locked into the locking hole of the first holding member.
 7. The bracket as described in claim 6, wherein at least one of the first and second holding members defines at least one slot therein for receiving the light-emitting member when the hook of the second holding member is locked into the locking hole of the first holding member.
 8. A bracket for mounting a light-emitting member to a plate, the bracket comprising: a first holding member; a second holding member connected to the first holding member, the second holding member capable of being rotated to overlap the first holding member to sandwich the light-emitting member therebetween, at least one mounting hole defined in the plate, at least one hook being formed on at least one of the first and second holding members for engaging in the at least one mounting hole to secure the bracket on the plate.
 9. The bracket as described in claim 8, wherein a connecting arm connects the first and second holding members, and a cutout is defined in the connecting arm and the second holding member is rotatable about the cutout.
 10. The bracket as described in claim 9, wherein the cutout is shaped for folding the connecting arm.
 11. The bracket as described in claim 9, wherein the cutout of the connecting arm is V-shaped.
 12. The bracket as described in claim 9, wherein the cutout of the connecting arm is U-shaped.
 13. The bracket as described in claim 8, wherein the first holding member defines a locking hole therein, and the second holding member has a hook thereon for engaging in the locking hole of the first holding member.
 14. The bracket as described in claim 13, wherein at least one of the first and second holding members defines at least one slot therein for receiving the light-emitting member when the hook of the second holding member is engaged in the locking hole of the first holding member.
 15. A bracket for mounting a light-emitting member to a plate, the bracket comprising: a first holding member; a second holding member integrally formed with the first holding member, the first holding member capable of being folded to overlap and detachably engage from the second holding member to hold the light-emitting member therebetween, at least one mounting hole defined in the plate, and at least one hook being formed at each of the first and second holding members for engaging in the corresponding mounting hole to secure the bracket to the plate.
 16. The bracket as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first holding member and the second holding member are connected with each other via a connecting bar which is foldable, and ends of the first holding member and the second holding member, away from the connecting bar, are engaged with each other.
 17. The bracket as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first holding member defines at least one locking hole, and the second holding member has at least one hook detachably engaging with the at least one locking hole.
 18. The bracket as claimed in claim 16, wherein each of the first holding member and the second holding member defines a half housing and a half slot, the half housings cooperatively form a whole housing configured for receiving a light-emitting portion of the light-emitting member therein, and the half slots cooperatively form a whole slot configured for receiving a protrusive base of the light-emitting member therein.
 19. The bracket as claimed in claim 18, wherein each of the first holding member and the second holding member further defines a space communicating with the corresponding housing for guiding lights emitted from the light-emitting member.
 20. The bracket as claimed in claim 16, wherein the connecting bar defines a cutout about which the connecting bar is foldable. 